Arab League Chief Says Palestinians To Petition UN

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 29: Delegates cheer as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the General Assembly at the United Nations before a UN General Assembly vote on upgrading the status of the Palestinians to non-member observer state on November 29, 2012 in New York City. Courtesy Getty Images

Ramallah, West Bank -- Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby says two decades of talks with Israel have been "a waste of time" and that Palestinians will soon take a new statehood bid to the U.N.

"We will return to the U.N. Security Council," he said in Ramallah Saturday after meeting Palestinian officials. "Palestine will be cooperating with Arab and EU countries to change the equation (in the peace process) that prevailed over the past 20 years, which was a waste of time."

The U.N. last month endorsed a de facto Palestinian state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza, areas Israel won in a 1967 war.

Talks collapsed in 2008 after Palestinians demanded Israel stop building in areas they want for a future state. Israel insists settlements and other issues should be negotiated.